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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23117614">make a good first impression (or go deaf trying)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writevale/pseuds/writevale'>writevale</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, First Meetings, Juno and Peter are in love, M/M, Rita being Rita, canon-divergence, post-Season 1, that much is obvious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:34:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,779</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23117614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writevale/pseuds/writevale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Juno is surprised to find someone other than Peter Nureyev in his apartment.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, Rita &amp; Juno Steel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>109</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>make a good first impression (or go deaf trying)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>my first fic for this fandom - hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
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<p></p><div><p>'Hey, did you move my-?' Juno's question died on his lips as he peeked his head round the bedroom door to take in the scene in the living room. Peter was there. Even after the month of him not disappearing when Juno least expected him to still gave the detective a pang of <em>something </em>in his chest. The man was perched in what was becoming his usual spot in Juno's favourite arm chair, leaning back into the plush maroon velvet, one of his long legs bent at the knee and crossed over the other, ankle tapping out some obscure rhythm. His lips twitched as Juno raked him over. Across from him -</p><p> </p><p>'Rita?! What the Hell are you doing in my apartment?' He exclaimed as he shuffled into the living room, hand fisted in the towel around his waist to stop it from going anywhere. The young girl on the sofa opposite blinked rapidly. She looked between her half-naked boss and the man in the chair and Juno swore he could hear the buzz as she began to fit together the pieces of this not particularly difficult puzzle. He lowered his voice to the growl he used when she was making him particularly weary. '<em>Rita</em>.'</p><p>'Mr Ste-el! It's just that -' <em>And she's off.</em> 'You haven't called into the office all week and I was getting real worried and I asked around and no-one else had heard from you and the last time you called you said <em>Rita </em>- remember? - you said <em>Rita, this looks real dangerous, I might be in trouble here </em>and then you disappeared! Mr Steel, what was I <em>meant </em>to do? And then, and then, I was watching-' Juno looked over at Peter to find he was observing his secretary with a carefully impassive look on his face. The man was a still, moonlit lake, undisturbed and indescribably - <em>get a grip, Steel</em>. No matter how many waves Juno had made in Nureyev's waters that morning, he sure as shit couldn't get a read on him now. '- And <em>then, </em>when they turned up at the apartment, the reporter was DEAD. That's how I expected to find you here, Mr Steel: dead. And not a word of goodbye. I would never have known what happened to you and I can't believe-'</p><p>'What are you <em>talking </em>about?' Juno interrupted as he tuned back into the explosion of noise in his otherwise remarkably peaceful flat. 'Rita, did you even check your comms? I left you a message saying that it was all fine and to take a week off.'</p><p>His secretary fell abruptly silent. She tapped the comms device on her wrist and Juno watched her face as his voice floated out of it. <em>God, I sounded haggard last week</em>. She laughed, nervous and high-pitched.</p><p>'Oops.'</p><p>Juno was torn between grumbling at her the way he usually would and trying not to look like some kind of crazy, hard-ass slave-driving boss in front of Peter. He settled for saying nothing and allowed the room to fall into an awkward silence. Him, with water from his hair still dripping onto his shoulders. Peter, a picture of disinterested ease. Rita, starting to make that weird moaning noise at the back of her throat the way she would when she had a <em>lot </em>to say but had to hold it back. She was starting to shuffle around on the sofa the way he had often seen her doing when she really needed the toilet but was waiting for an ad break. <em>God</em>. He tried to catch Peter's attention to gauge how much he was allowed to indulge the vibrating girl in his apartment but the man's mouth had curved into that dreadful smirk. The one that made him look like he was in on a private joke with the universe. Juno wasn't sure what <em>exactly </em>was so hilarious. <em>Apart from, I dunno, my entire life. </em></p><p>'Do you have a <em>question, </em>Rita?' He sighed. She inhaled deeply.</p><p>'Well, just remember, Mr Steel, that when I came here today I did think that you had been murdered. And then, when I get to your apartment there's this man that I ain't ever seen before and he was real pleasant, sure, but I thought: now hang on a minute here, Rita, what if he <em>is </em>the murderer and he's just going to lure you into the building and assassinate you himself. But I thought - well, I thought: Rita. This is Mr Steel on the line here. And I thought, what if he hasn't killed you and you're relying on me to save you! So I marched on up here, boss, and I said <em>and who do you think you are, loitering around in Mr Steel's apartment?</em> And he said his name was Duke Rose or something and - here's the thing, Mr Steel - I looked him up on the sly while we was waiting for you to get out of the shower and there's no record of him anywhere and oh, <em>oh! </em>Is he a murderer Mr Steel? <em>No! </em>Is he a SUPER-SPY? <em>NO! </em>Is he your BOYFRIEND? Mr Steel! IS YOUR BOYFRIEND A <em>SUPER SPY</em>?'</p><p> </p><p>The room fell quiet save for Rita's excited panting. Her eyes were bulging out from behind her glasses as she stared at Peter and Juno in turn. Juno glanced at Peter to see a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. Sunlight on a rippling pool. <em>Goddamnit. </em></p><p>'Is that everything?' He asked his secretary.</p><p>'Mr Steel!' She drew out the eeeee in a shrill wail. 'That ain't fair!'</p><p>'Hey! I asked you if you had a question, Rita. I never said I was going to answer it. Now, get out of here and do some actual work.' She gave a haughty harrumph of a sound and began to slip on her jacket and driving gloves. Juno heard her mumble something as he tried once more to meet Peter's eyes. 'What was that?'</p><p>'I said I don’t think he's good looking enough to be your boyfriend anyways.'</p><p>Juno felt the sting of that all the way through his gut. 'Are you JOKING? He's-' He almost dropped his towel in shock and straightened up rapidly, cheeks hot. '<em>Dammit, Rita.' </em></p><p>'AH!' She screamed, suddenly on her feet. 'He is your boyfriend! Oh, Mr Steel I am so-'</p><p>'Stop.'</p><p>'- Happy for you and, you know, after you were in such a <em>slump </em>for those few months after that-'</p><p>'RITA! Stop.' Juno glanced at Peter to see the tips of his sharp teeth peeking out in a delighted grin. Thankfully, she stopped, mouth twisting into a smug little smile. He hated it.</p><p>'Well, it was a pleasure to meet you Mr Rose, I <em>hope </em>that we can have a <em>proper introduction </em>sometime when Mr Steel isn't quite so cranky.' Peter, normally perfectly loquacious, said nothing but took some of the predatory bite out of his grin as he nodded at her.</p><p>'Time to go, Rita.'</p><p>'Alright, <em>alright!</em>' She stood with the air of someone who has been entirely inconvenienced. Juno didn't fail to notice the way she rolled her eyes at Peter and mouthed '<em>see!</em>'. She almost made it to the door before she spun around with a cautious optimism in the tilt of her head. 'Hey, boss . . .'</p><p>'What now?'</p><p>'So I was thinking, if I've been at work all week when the office should have been shut, it only seems fair that next week I get a vacation too.'</p><p>'Rita, I don't pay you to sit around and do nothing all day! If you didn't check your comms, that's not my-'</p><p>'<em>Juno</em>.' Peter's interruption caught his attention as though the thief had wrapped his long, pale fingers around his throat. The detective choked. Rita was watching them with an ill-disguised interest. Peter was finally meeting his eyes and when Juno looked over, he twitched a perfectly arched eyebrow. A suggestion. An invitation. <em>You know what, I think I could stand to take a little more time off. </em></p><p>'Fine.' He turned to Rita. 'But keep your goddamn comms on you in case something happens, you hear me?' She made that low moan of excitement again and Juno almost dropped his towel to cover his ears.</p><p>'Oh! Oh! Thank you, boss. I will!' She hurried out of the door with one final backwards glance at the figure in the chair and as she left the two men heard a decrescendo of 'I can't wait to tell Frannie about this!' above the rapid trotting of her shoes.</p><p> </p><p>Juno took a breath before he turned to his boyfriend. Most people, upon meeting Rita, fell into one of two camps. Number one was: 'oh my gosh, Juno, she's so sweet, how could you be so mean to her?'. Number two was: 'mother of mercury, get her away from me'. Somehow, Juno didn't expect Peter to fall so neatly into either category. Peter was hardly most people.</p><p> </p><p>The uncertainty made a wriggle of nerves wind its way up from the pit of Juno's stomach, hardening as it reached his throat and, as usual, manifesting as an accusation.</p><p>'Why did you let her in?'</p><p>From his place in the chair, Peter steepled his hands under his chin. His middle fingers bounced back and forth against his lips as he thought. 'She was very concerned about you, Juno.'</p><p>'And?' The detective spluttered. Peter arched that eyebrow again.</p><p>'Well, I thought it might be interesting to meet someone who shares my job role.'</p><p>'Cut that out, Nureyev.' Juno snarled. The effect was somewhat diminished when he padded over and plopped himself down, right in Peter's lap. Cool hands came to rest on his skin, one on his chest, the other curling around his hip. Peter pressed a kiss to the knot of scar tissue in Juno's shoulder.</p><p>'Do you need to hear me say it?' He asked. Juno looked down at the Peter's hand, pale fingers splayed against Juno's midnight skin. He nodded stiffly and felt Peter's teeth against his back as the man grinned. 'I wanted to meet her. I like her.'</p><p>Juno blew out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He let out a surprised bark of laughter as Peter's hands tightened suddenly and he was pulled backwards, flush against Peter's chest. That infuriating smirk was right by his ear. He laid his hands on top of Peter's.</p><p>'You want something from me, big guy?'</p><p>‘I’m just wondering how on Mars we're going to fill all this free time we now have.'</p><p>'Hm.' Juno twisted in Peter's grip to meet his eyes. He watched as those pupils dilated until they were black holes, sucking him in. 'I'm sure we can think of something.'</p></div></div></div></div></div></div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>can you believe that when i first listened to penumbra, i stopped because i found rita's voice really annoying? now look at me: i'm in love. </p><p>thanks so much for reading, i really hope you enjoyed it and please hit me up if you have any good fic recs because i'm new to the fandom!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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